Eleven Piper's Piping
by blackjackcat
Summary: Given a Christmas together, Milliardo finds himself rebuilding Aiden's belief in an old Christmas spirit. Perhaps it has something to do with his love's current childish form?


**A/N:** Another Christmas fic. I don't remember if it was a request.. It was a gift though for clowyamma. It is based off a RPG we are both active in so Milliardo is OOC, especially since this is an AU. Definetly. :D This Universe has become the cente rof most of my work. Aiden is my Muse. However, this is not his first appearance. I think it's still possible to follow.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam wing. I simply love the characters.**

**Warnings: **Malexmale love. I would like to note that though Aiden does appear as a child in this story, that is not his correct age or form. I am **NOT** writing an adultxchild pair. Not At **ALL.** Basically, he has exhausted himself and this is the form he must live in for a while**.**

**Eleven Piper's Piping**

Milliardo frowned and carefully set the plate down that he'd been bearing in careful hands.

"What do you mean? Aiden?"

His cool blue gaze settled on the picture of the now small boy sitting perched almost dejectedly on the edge of the bed. That sight was enough to pull at least a sad smile to his face as he moved with the barest of sighs to gather the child in his arms, nuzzling his chin against the soft gray tresses.

"Love? What do you mean you don't believe in Santa?"

Aiden rolled his eyes and gave a small huff through his nose as a disdainful cat might even as he let his arms come to wrap around the one holding him. "It's all human fairy tales. They wanted to create a new tradition for the holiday. It's the same thing as Valentine's Day being a chance for Hallmark cards."

Milliardo felt his mouth twitch in amusement as he let his hands gently smooth back the damp bangs hanging limp over orange eyes.

"Who told you that love?"

Aiden pulled back enough at that to frown up at the blonde trying to soothe him. "No one told me anything. It's a fact."

"Agreed upon by whom?"

Pushing the hands playing through his hair aside Aiden glared up at the taller youth hating in that moment the child's body he was trapped in his exhaustion.

"I've never seen him. What makes him so real?" A pause before Aiden pointed out harshly again, "And why do you care whether or not I believe in him? It's just a human child's fairy tale that doesn't matter!"

The amused look on Milliardo's face didn't help in the face of Aiden's short temper and at once the blonde found himself trying to contain a struggling eight year old body who was attempting to make a fast pace ditch off the bed.

"Calm down love. I'm sorry. I'm not laughing at you."

"Oh?" Aiden didn't stop in his escape attempt, struggling to even each the floor in his contained state, "Then what's the smirk for?"

Milliardo allowed a long-suffering sigh to slip past his lips as he moved to his feet easily taking the struggling child up in his arms and cradling him to his chest. "I simply find your cynical attitude adorable little one." Placing a chaste kiss on the smaller one's cheek Milliardo smiled, letting that expression move to almost a wry smirk.

"Did you know that I believe in Santa Claus?"

That statement immediately stopped Aiden's struggling attempt. "You _do_? Why?"

Containing his smirk Milliardo let the two of them settle on the bed again, his eyes sweeping around the cabin and settling on the plate of cookies he'd placed with a glass of milk to what had been, Aiden's amusement.

Containing himself he inwardly snorted. Amusement that had turned to anger. And now again to surprise and disbelief. His cherub was a fickle one when it came to mood swings. His expression almost faltered at that train of thought. Just why his little one was so..

Soft fingers reaching for his face and brushing across his face made Milliardo turn his expression downward with a soft smile. His own fingers returned the gentle trace, feeling he soft almost pale skin.

"You have such faith even with those blind eyes my love. Can't you have faith in something I believe?"

He felt Aiden tense in his embrace even as he started in his own surprise. Where had those words come from? He'd merely been.. loosing himself. Becoming lost in that blank gaze that was his love's eyes. Yet still so strong they carried the power to draw him into the past in their near auburn embrace.

"Milliardo?"

Smiling the blonde let his fingers run through soft gray bangs, smiling as he replied before planting a gentle kiss on the child's forehead. "I'm alright little one."

Ruffling the boys' bangs he tugged on the end of the braid hanging near Aiden's waist. "Now tell me why a child like you doesn't believe in dear old Saint Nick."

Wrinkling his nose Aiden frowned. "I'm not a child for one." Continuing on he placed a gentle hand over Milliardo's mouth stopping the taller immortal from replying. "And I've simply never seen him or met anyone who has. A myth is a myth. He doesn't exist."

"Now Aiden that's simply rude. He happens to be very busy. It is Christmas Eve after all. He doesn't usually have the time to stop and chat for very long."

Aiden raised a skeptical eyebrow, "And you know this because.."

"The man has simply told me himself."

"That so?"

Grinning at the teasing play, Milliardo let his voice remain solemn even as his fingers crept towards the younger boys' sides. "Of course it is."

Tilting his head to the side, Aiden remained ever a skeptic. "Then why haven't I ever seen him?"

"I doubt you were looking."

Aiden nodded, accepting that statement in silent agreement that no, he hadn't been.

"Why not try tonight?"

"What?" Aiden turned, settling right into Milliardo's hands too late, his voice breaking from a serious tone to a completely ecstatic one as the blonde tickled him down into the bed mercilessly making his gaps for air and try to breathe.

"I said look out for Sandy Claus!"

"Okay okay!" Aiden gasped as he struggled to get away to absolutely no avail.

In fact it was a full five minutes before Milliardo finally stopped with his antics grinning down at the spent and gasping boy lying on the covers of the bed, still hearing Aiden's ringing laughter.

Gently brushing back soft bangs Milliardo smiled fondly down at the small one lying beside him. "Can you try?"

"Mn?"

Aiden moved as if to sit up but ended up practically curled up in the blonde's lap lying limp and complacent. "Yes _koishii._" Aiden sighed and snuggled closer. "I'll try."

"So do you believe in Santy Claus little one?"

"Mhmmn.."

"That's good." Milliardo let a finger trail down the resting Aiden's braid. "Because he's here."

"Hmn?"

Aiden sat up quickly at the knock that sounded on the door. "Who is that?"

His quiet tone was gone replaced by alert and sharp words. "Milliardo?"

A calming hand was placed on his back after Milliardo called for the person to enter. "Santa Claus."

Before them the door was swept open, letting in a brief swirl of snow with the person who almost hastily shut the strong wood closed behind him.

Getting to his feet Milliardo stood near the bed knowing Aiden's hands would need to find the hem of his shirt in a moment, and sure enough, as the figure in red strode across the room to firmly clasp Milliardo's hand in greeting and welcome, a smaller set of fingers found the edge of Milliardo's shirt, worrying it.

"I'm afraid I can't stay long. I still have half the States and Canada to reach before morning."

"Knowing you Nicholas, I'm sure you'll manage with plenty of time."

The laugh that answered that was rich and to be sure, hearty, but was not at all the 'Ho Ho Ho' Aiden had hear tell of, and apparently on some level been expecting.

"I have something for the two of you."

"You know that wasn't necessary."

"No, but I enjoy doing it and it's the perfect time of year! Don't argue with me on this Peacecraft. I know you'll like what I have to give you."

Milliardo nodded once in agreement and smiled. "You've yet to be wrong so far." Yet in the back of his mind he was wondering just what the man could possibly hope to give him that could surpass anything Aiden might offer him. Surely he knew their story..

"Come out of there Sterling. I have something to give you."

Hiding a grin, Milliardo looked down to where it seemed Aiden was trying to burrow into the back of his shirt.

Obediently however, the youth slipped away from the taller blonde's side and stood almost daringly before the man he could not see.

"Here you are." Reaching into his pocket, Nicholas pulled a small package from the deep blood red coat he wore against the snow, picking up one of Aiden's stubborn hands to place the thing carefully in his embrace.

"Open it son."

He saw Aiden bristle at the indirect comment about his young age and could not suppress a smirk earning a curt reprimand from Aiden who frowned in his direction knowing simply from habit what expression he would find there.

Under careful fingers the paper fell away revealing a small box that proved to be filled with soft cotton wrapping that when pulled back revealed.. A most disjointed looking thing that seemed to be made out of a few variant colors of metal.

Aiden however, seemed to recognize the thing in some way as his fingers ran over the little trinket from end to end before finding the ring and lifting the gift completely form it's package revealing it for what it truly was.

Crafted carefully in metal as he had guessed, dangling from the ring and chin dangling from Aiden's fingers was a small golden fish that bent and twisted as though moving in the live motions of a real fish.

"A good luck charm.."

The whisper was so quiet Milliardo almost missed it, hearing the disbelief and gratitude in the expression.

Looking at the thing closely, Milliardo caught the lighter colors dancing over the gold. Under the belly and along the sides there were lines of blues and a few greens seeming to give the small fish more life in the simple light that filled the cabin.

Laying the thing on his palm Aiden pushed the tail form side to side feeling the joints and 'seeing' with his hands how the mechanics worked.

As he played a smile stole its careful way across his face before turning into a grin, "Thank you! Thank you very much!"

And then Aiden was off in what seemed to be an endless litany of thanks in his own tongue, barely able to contain his excitement in what seemed to be a very small thing. But then again, he could understand that.

The size of the gift was not what always mattered. Right now he was enjoying the sight of his love so happy he could not remember to use English words. And as he somehow caught Nicholas's eye he realized that that was what had been his Christmas gift this year and he smiled in complete agreement and acknowledgment.

And then Nicholas was packing up and leaving, the plate somehow empty behind his back as well as the glass of 1% milk.

"I'd best being going."

Milliardo nodded and moved to take the door, again smiling at the obvious excitement of his little one.

"Until next year then."

"Yes." Nicholas nodded and took hold of the door, chuckling as Aiden thanked him again in a burst of native tongue.

"I look forward to it."

And then he was gone, the door never having opened to the wind.

It wasn't until a few weeks had passed that Milliardo understood just what exactly he had received for that Christmas.

Aiden carried that fish charm with him everywhere, his fingers playing with the thing constantly, the mere feel of it bringing a grin to his face.

And that look, of pure unaltered enjoyment and satisfaction, was exactly what Milliardo had wanted for Christmas.


End file.
